Meat quality characteristics of high dairy genetic-merit Holstein, standard dairy genetic-merit Friesian and Charolais × Holstein-Friesian steers

The increased use of Holstein genetic material in the Irish dairy herd has consequences for beef production. In all, 42 spring-born steers [14 Holsteins (HO), 14 Friesian (FR) and Charolais × Holstein-Friesian (CH)] were reared to slaughter at between 26 37 mo age. Carcass weight was higher lipid concentration m . longissimus thoracis et lumborum lower (P < 0.05) CH than breeds. Overall acceptability tended be = 0.055) while tenderness, texture chewiness compared with proportion C16:1 total Replacing male offspring traditional “Irish” bulls from a genetically superior (from perspective) strain bull had no commercially important impact on nutritional or eating quality.